Page 54 - PROGRAM IMPACT AND SATIFACTION AS SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF HEAD START PARENTS

Comments were also provided in regards to the Head Start facility. One parent wrote, “The drop- off and pick-up is in need of a change. Needs more parking.” Additionally, two parents wrote that allowing children to play in all the areas would make the program better.
Figure 16 in the Appendix presents selected comments of parents from the Woodman Head Start Center.
Zine
Of the 91 parents from Zine who submitted a survey, 62.6% parents provided suggestions regarding how their Head Start program can improve. The majority of parents (70.2%) expressed that no changes were necessary and some included comments about how satisfied they were with the program. One parent wrote, “I like that there's a lot of communication about my child and his progress in class.” Another parent wrote, “Everything is amazing, well-organized and everyone is punctual. Above everything, there is full security for the children and everybody.”
Parent engagement comments were written by seven parents. Parents noted that improvement in the program is possible through the continual teamwork between staff and parents. Other parents emphasized how program staff could ensure parents participate at the school by volunteering or helping in the classroom. Another parent suggests that afternoon or evening meetings would help parents become engaged and thus improve the program. One parent wrote that more support for English-speaking families is necessary, writing, “Needs to accommodate English-speaking families more.”
Two parents suggested that the same teacher should be kept in a classroom. One of these parents wrote, “Don't change teachers so often and don't change the children from their classroom.”
Other suggestions included comments related to teachers, the curriculum and the pick-up and drop-off procedure. These comments include:
 Teach children how to read, write, count, share things
 More books and toys
 Pay more attention to the children, be more patient and more understanding
 A quicker pick-up and drop-off process
 More pleasant staff
Figure 17 in the Appendix presents selected comments of parents from the Zine Head Start Center.
CCRC’s Head Start Parents Page | 51 December 2014